A Republican strategist is reminding his party that President Reagan is dead.

ADVERTISEMENT Ford O'Connell, who worked on Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) 2008 presidential campaign, says if Republicans want to win the White House in 2016, they need to break free of the "obsessive Reagan disorder."

Such a sentiment is sure to be tough to digest for a party insistent on using the 40th president's legacy as a GOP litmus test to prove conservative credentials.

"The Reagan fixation is a drag on the future success of the GOP at the national level. It undermines the candidates because it becomes a crutch for their inability to articulate an actual agenda or a forward-looking vision," he writes.

In an interview with The Hill, O'Connell says he combines his "two loves: politics and football" into his work Hail Mary, a sort-of political manual for presidential hopefuls.

The native Texan contends that he is "not pushing a personal agenda" in his blunt "playbook."

He says it is aimed squarely at the 2016 Republican presidential hopefuls, whom he handicaps in a chapter entitled 2016 Republican Presidential Scouting Report."

"This was an honest attempt to say, 'Hey, if you want to win the White House, you've got to understand the obstacles and what it's going to take to get 270 electoral votes, regardless of who the nominee is," O'Connell explains.

The book is geared toward political success at the national level, not the 2014 midterm congressional elections, a point he makes in Rule #9 "The Preseason Doesn't Win You the Super Bowl."

O'Connell says that Republicans failed to capitalize on the 2010 midterm election success when the GOP regained control...

Remember, this is who the GOP leadership is paying big bucks. This is who the GOP leadership is listening to after they have had a few drinks.

Truth cannot be violated - the Law of Non-contradiction basically says that that contradictory statements cannot both be true in the same sense at the same time.

Reagan chose the correct course on issues (economic, military, social) because he was dealing with God given Truth. It drove his politics.

The "new" GOP is whispering in our ear that we must abandon all that is right, just, and true - because maybe (just maybe) we might get 270 Electoral Votes in 2016.

Here is how I would answer them on just a few issues:

- Amnesty is wrong: you do NOT reward millions of invading law breakers with citizenship, Food Stamps, TANF Welfare, and "free" medical care, instead, you make those who broke your laws pay the consequences

- The US global economic and political strength is directly tied to our military might, break the neck of the latter (as we are doing at warp speed), and the former two pillars will collapse

- You cannot separate "social conservatism" from "economic conservatism" because God will not reward a nation that murders it's unborn, applauds sexual filth, and spits in the face of the Almighty

Today, our GOP leaders are gutting the military, refusing to take a stand on Biblical Truth, and are flirting with Amnesty.

Sorry, Mr. Consultant, but for a good 80 percent of those who call themselves Republicans, this is the Party of Reagan, not of either Bush, or of Ford, or of McCain or of Dole. We remember a leader who stood for something, whom a recent poll named as the Best President of the past 100 years, who brought prosperity, employment, low/no inflation and an end to the Soviet Union, and whether some liked it or not, made Americans respected, if not liked, overseas. Sure, he had his faults and errors (he was human, as are we), including Lebanon and Iran-contra, but overall the Republican presidential alternatives are VERY pale pastels.

I'm with you. Reagan is dead (sadly), but that doesn't mean freedom is dead too. The Constitution means what it says, and anyone who does not support freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, protections against unreasonable search and seizure, a limited role for the federal government, or any other essential aspect of our Constitution is unacceptable.

I'm flexible in some areas, but not in the area of essential freedoms. If that is unrealistic, then so is the assumption that we can continue peaceably as one country.

7
posted on 12/01/2013 6:07:05 AM PST
by Pollster1
("Shall not be infringed" is unambiguous.)

"The evidence is overwhelming that O'Connell's ideas, in general, will fail. Becoming a liberal to defeat liberals has failed over and over and over and over again. But, like the liberals that are the Republican establishment, never learn from failure. Just double down and do the same thing again. "

The GOP obviously needs a better strategery than this drivel (Ford's kr@p).

A lot of us are moving on, from the Republican Party. It talks a good game in conservative areas during elections, then reverts to being the self-appointed conscience of Democrats the rest of the time. That's not what we want, it's why Reagan has been so lionized. They act as if it's all just a cult of personality.

Whenever any "expert" urges the faithful to move on from Reagan, what they really mean is they want us to learn how to take orders from Dems and be the Dem-lite party. Instead of getting rid of the welfare state, learn how to manage it better. Then you might be able to go to lib cocktail parties and tell them what a wonderful person you are.

My own advice is to run screaming from these "experts." To move on from Reagan means to desert basic conservative principles. That we cannot do.

Ford Courtlandt O’Connell has FIVE degrees: Swarthmore College (BA), Duke University (MPP), University of Virginia (JD), University of Mississippi (MA), and Northwestern University (MSJ). It appears that other than go to school, the only thing Mr. O’Connell has ever done is “work” as a political analyst and writer. Anyone who would take advice from this guy deserves what he/she gets.

Yes, Reagan is dead and the GOP has to evolve. But a big part of why the GOP is in the sorry state that it is is due to compromises and bad deals they made over the years—especially during the Reagan/Bush years. Motor Voter and the 1986 Amnesty (under Reagan) come to mind. I think border enforcement was probably better under Carter than Reagan.

Looks like GOP was slooowly infiltrated with progressives, and is being manipulated in the commie direction.
That would ‘splain the “eagerness” of going after Kenyan and his push for destroying US and fueling Caliphate domination.
Time to dump the RINO RATS and rejuvenate the GOP with Reaganite patriots.
GO SARAH!

Ford O'Connell, who worked on Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) 2008 presidential campaign, says if Republicans want to win the White House in 2016, they need to break free of the "obsessive Reagan disorder."

Oh! Well! A successful campaign worker of a solid Conservative candidate like McCain! And on a stellar year for us, 2008!

Well shucky darn, I better listen to EVERYTHING *this* expert has to say!

LOL!

35
posted on 12/01/2013 6:26:46 AM PST
by Lazamataz
(Early 2009 to 7/21/2013 - RIP my little girl Cathy. You were the best cat ever. You will be missed.)

Well, I’ve been told that a significant number of Alabama fans and alumni annually visit the grave site of Bear Bryant to see if he has resurrected. And, I’m guessing that after yesterday, that number will jump up a bunch, lol !

36
posted on 12/01/2013 6:27:04 AM PST
by snoringbear
(E.oGovernment is the Pimp,)

I Like IKE, but I Loved Ronnie! What scares some people is they know Ronald Reagan stood for America and Loved America. Those people that hate Ronald Reagan also hate America. The truth is not difficult to understand. Thus those that say move on actually mean join them and be a hater of Freedom, Honor and Truth; everything President Ronald Reagan stood for. I’ll stand with President Ronald Reagan.

39
posted on 12/01/2013 6:31:36 AM PST
by no-to-illegals
(Scrutinize our government and Secure the Blessing of Freedom and Justice)

Looks like GOP was slooowly infiltrated with progressives, and is being manipulated in the commie direction.

I've noticed they've started to ooze back into FR as well. They hide behind long past signup dates but only post with coming elections. They talk conservatism but always end with protecting the party at any cost which means the most "moderate" candidates they can find.

42
posted on 12/01/2013 6:33:48 AM PST
by cripplecreek
(REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)

Yes, he worked on the 2008 McCain campaign, with their wonderful record of blaming Sarah Palin (she was the only one who brought a spark to the mess). Mr. Consultant is a perfect example of the old axiom - “Those who CAN’T, Teach”. Reagan won 94 of 100 states in two presidential elections - how many did McCain win in his one election? Actually, you should add those won by Bush, Sr. in 1988 when he ran on the Reagan Third Term, and from his Inaugural Address onward, governed like a “moderate” Democrat.

So this guy worked on the mccain campaign. I guess he’s drawing on his past record of “success” to show the gop the way to victory? Because john mccain came soooo close to winning?

In any case, I’m actually kind of glad to see gop cronies like this spout off: just makes it that much easier to make the case that there is no substantive difference between the gop wing of the uniparty and the ‘rat wing.

47
posted on 12/01/2013 6:38:28 AM PST
by RKBA Democrat
( There is no worst president but owebama, and valerie jarrett is his prophet.)

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